Four Accused of Running Paving Scam

Friday

Feb 8, 2013 at 12:49 PM

A group of four men was arrested Thursday, accused of burglary and of defrauding elderly residents by charging them thousands of dollars to pave their driveways with inferior materials, arrest reports show.

By JEREMY MAREADYTHE LEDGER

AUBURNDALE | A group of four men was arrested Thursday, accused of burglary and of defrauding elderly residents by charging them thousands of dollars to pave their driveways with inferior materials, arrest reports show.

The traveling group worked under the umbrella of multiple companies, including Orange Paving, Ace Paving, Chad Lee Paving and Power Black Top Paving, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Each business had a fictitious address or post office box, reports show.

Each was charged with two counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling and grand theft; three counts each of scheming to defraud, workers compensation fraud and solicitation without a permit; and one count each of grand theft from an elderly person and exploitation of the elderly, records show.

Detectives said the men would approach homeowners and offer to pave their driveways for several thousand dollars, reports said.

The men drove to an Auburndale neighborhood Thursday in several commercial vehicles and asked home­owners if they wanted their driveways repaved.

Two residents paid $2,500 each, and another paid $6,400, reports show. The men told deputies they used a mixture of old crushed asphalt, dirt and assorted debris.

[ Jeremy Maready can be reached at jeremy.maready@theledger.com or 863-802-7592. ]